Timing device



March 6, 1951 F, J, MULHERN 2,544,346

TIMING DEVICE Filed Oct. 17, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2. if f 65 43 Z,-1 :5 a I Inventor: I Fredemck J. Mulhern, I

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March 6, 1951 J, MULHERN 2,544,346

TIMING DEVICE Filed Oct. 17, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: FrederickJ. Mulherflt,

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7 sides of the wheelS that Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITEDWJS'IATES rArsNT, OFFICE 2,544,346 TIMING DEVICE Fredericlr Muihiii; Troy, N. Y.

, 1946, Serial N0. 703,901

Applicationocto'ber 17 My invention relates to timing devices, moreparticularly to; electrically. y gperatedfiirect- ,current timing.deyicesnnd {or its .object-a reliable and inexpensive precision. devicefor measuring me i terva s th at ac u a My invention is especiallyuseful in devices for performing an operationlattena predetermined timeinterval sueh as the operationof aswitch, althou h -tnis ap l cab etether t m devices, such a Q ki :1; I: .1121 A: 1

For -ag xnore complete understanding of my inventio ref rence;shcuesbeshesl 9: t a panyi drawin sn iis-z i a: fr lev tion View 011% timinwd vi mbodyins my invention; Fig. 2 ti 1 v the direction of the arrows;Fi rirag-mcnta y iront elevation viewq-ot apportion oi the mecha nism-taken along the line '{l 3 of .4 is a. tragmentary view oi the timeadius .entr device showing the; contactringsh 5 .,is asectional e tak aons the nes .s? isv lee in the direction of the arrows -l ig. fi is a.fragmenta-ry viewshowing the time operated-control switches; Fig.:-'7..,is a sectienal .view, taken along the line 1.I,.of,Eigh2 iooking inthe direction of t r ows, while K-si 'is a diagram showin theleetriconnectiells,

Reierringto the drawings, carrying out my invention n n -firm ,lsprevdele m cs e16 ment com rising-n balanc wheel! carrying a disk-shaped.armature} 2 adjacent; its periphery which is attracted ,alterahtely Jayairs .3 and 4 of stationary ,mag-net poles-seas te cause the wheel tooscillate baeki-and fnrth inhapredeterminedarc and -thereby constitutea. timing elevment. ,The oscillatory moyementzofthewheel I controls thealternate energization ofii hc; coils 5 and 6 having respectively thepairs o/f poles 3 and 4, the polesor eachpair being on;.opposite betweenthem. A1s0,, the magnet coils are; pro-- 1 8 respectively, which,eiiectann cillatpr me urefl hav n a. ntt pivet=lfl wh a timing ratch twheel, II is advancedcloclcwise in su stant a .sync fcnism with he.balance wh el, one ooth oreec e p l ti n c t armture 9. As shown, an armI2 has its lower end secured to, the armature 9 at a point just belowthe pivot I0 and extends upward to a-point adjacent the periphery of thewheel II- where "it is providedwith a--ratchet- -;pa wl I3fiarranged toengage theteethon thetperiphery oi the ratchet wheel II.-'When.theratchet wheel -l l has been w akenalong .7 I

" 7 "Claims. (01$ 161 -1 -terclockwise rotation of the ratchet wheelturned through a predetermined angle corresponding to the time intervalfor which the device is set; the pawl-driving means for the ratchetwheel is moyed by. a starting magnet coil I4 to release, the ratchetwheel which is thereupon returned to a starting. position by abiasingspring and, concurrently therewith, a circuit is closed toinitiate a desired control .operation or, for

extending parallel With the axis of the ratchet wheel.

At the beginning of the timing operation the pin I5 is in the biasedposition indicated in Fig. 3, to which position it is moved by coun- IIby means of aspiral spring I6. The spring I6 is connected to a gear .I'Iso as to give a clockwise rotation to it and this gear in turn mesheswith a gear I8' secured to the ratchet wheel II.

In this position of the pin I5 it engages a flexible contact arm I9 andbends it toward theleft, as seen in Fig. 3, against a rigid contact arm20, which contactarm forms a stop for the pin I5 and the ratchet wheel II. The two contact .arms I9 and 211 are in an energizing circuit for,the starting coil I4 so that this coil can be energized to startthetiming operation.

Asthe'ratchet wheel I I is turned clockwise, the pin I5 disengages thecontact arm I9 which in turn disengages the contact arm 20 but thestarting coil circuit is maintained closed through a switch 22 which isoperated by the armature of the starting coil [4 soas to be closed'whenthe coil is energized, the switch 22 being connected in parallel withthe contacts I9 and 20. \Also in circuit with the starting coil I4 is .abiased closed switch 23 mounted on an adjustable time setting diskmember 24,(Fig. 5). In order to set thedevice for adesired timeinterval, this member Zlis adjusted on. its shaft 25 by means of a knob26. (Figs. Land 2) whereby the position .of the switch 23 is adjustedwith respect to the I4 is to efiectthe engagement of. the pawls I3 andNa withtheratchet. wheel II at the beginning of the timing operation,and their disengagement with the ratchet wheel at the end of the timingoperation so that the wheel II can be turned counterclockwise by thespring l6 back to its starting position shown in Fig. 3. As shown inFig. 3, when the magnet I4 is deenergized its armature 28 is pulledthrough a small angle in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot atthe point 29 on the magnet core member 30 by means of a spring 3|. TheSpring 3| bears on a lever 32 mounted on a pivot 33 on a supportingplate 34. On the left-hand end of the lever 32 is a strap member 35which is bent downward and carries secured to it a cylindrical bearingmember 36 biased by the spring 3| into engagement with the rounded upperend of the armature 28. Also, the strap 35 engages two pins 31 and 38 onthe ends respectively of the pawls I3 and |3a whereby the pawls are heldby the spring 3| with their adjacent ends in a lowermost position out ofengagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Also, when in thisposition the upper end of the armature 28 engages an arm 40, the lowerend of which is secured about a contact arm 4| (Fig. '7) mounted on apivot pin 42. The pin 42 is pivotally secured to the supporting plates34 and 43 (Fig. 2). The armature thus moves the arm 43 toward the left,as seen in Fig. '7, whereby the left-hand end of the contact arm 4| isheld in engagement with a stationary contact 44.

When the magnet I4 is energized at the begin ning of the timingoperation its armature 23 is moved clockwise about the pivot 29 wherebythe upper end of the armature moves under the cylindrical member 35 andthereby raises it and likewise raises the strap member 35 against theforce of the spring 3| whereby the pawls |3 and 13a are moved by theirbiasing springs, such as the springs 45 and 46, about suitableintermediate pivots so that their adjacent ends move upward intoengagement with the ratchet wheel. Oscillation of the arm l2 and thepawl l3 by the armature 9 now turns the ratchet wheel step by step.

For the purpose of controlling the alternate energization of the magnetcoils 5 and 6, the balance wheel I has secured to its shaft an eccentric41 (Figs. 2 and 7) cooperating with which is the forked upper end of anarm 43 the lower end of which is pivoted on the pivot pin 42 and hassecured to it a spring 49, the opposite ends of which engage the ends ofthe contact arm 4!. Therefore, as the balance wheel oscillates, the arm48 is rocked back and forth thereby to move the contact arm 4| intoengagement with first one and then the other of the stationary contacts44 and 50 whereby the coils 5 and 6 are controlled.

By means of a helical biasing spring 5! having one end secured to thebalance wheel I, the

balance wheel is biased to the angular position shown in Figs. 2 and 7.In this position the armature is in an intermediate position between thepairs 3 and 4 of magnet poles and, likewise, the arm 48 is held by theeccentric in an intermediate position.

A snap action is provided for the switch arm 4| by means of a spring arm52, the movable end of which is provided with a bearing 53 engaged bythe end of a leaf spring 54 secured to the contact arm. Snap action isobtained by reason of the fact that the right-hand end of the spring 54at the point of attachment to the arm 4| is below a line joining thebearing 53 and the axis of the pivot 42 when the arm 4| engages thecontact 44. This provides a downward force on the lefthand end of thecontact arm. On the other hand, this point of attachment is above theline joining 42 and 53 when the arm 4| engages the contact 59. Thisconstruction, it will be observed, gives an over-center spring biasingand snap acting force to the contact arm 4|.

As shown clearly in the drawings, the arious parts are mounted on thetwo supporting plates 34 and 43 which are suitably secured together inparallel spaced relation with each other, these plates being made ofnon-magnetic material such as brass as is also the balance wheel. Ascrew 55 is provided by means of which the tension of the spring 5| maybe adjusted. The two supporting plates and the mechanism mounted thereonare in turn mounted on a supporting base 53 made of electricallyinsulating material, and a front cover 51 is provided which fits on thebase and is provided with an aperture 58 through which extends the knob26 and the pivoted time-setting disk means 24.

The shaft 25 of the time setting means is secured to the supportingplate 34 in alignment with the shaft 59 of the balance wheel i. Themechanism 24 which forms an adjustable support for the switches 23 and21 consists of a bushing Gil which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 25and on which, in turn, are mounted three disks BI, 62 and 53 made ofelectrically insulating material and to which are secured three electriccontact rings 34, 65 and 66, the rings being electrically insulated fromeach other and from the bushing 60. Two electrically conducting posts64a and 85a se cured respectively to the rings 64 and 65 form electricconnections between the rings and the spring contact arms 61 and 68 ofthe switches 23 and 27 and also serve as supports for the contact arms.A contact 69 of the switch 23 is secured to the contact ring 66. Theelectrically insulating disk 2'53 is provided with teeth on itsperiphery with which engages a spring pawl 'il (Fig. 3) whereby thetime-setting means 24 is secured in its adjusted'position.

It will be understood from the drawing (Fig. 6) that the pin l5 inmoving toward the right first engages the upper end of the contact arm67 and moves it into engagement, with the upper end of the branch 38a ofthe contact arm 63, the engaging parts .of which constitute the switch21. A slight continued movement of the pin l5 moves the contact arm 58atoward the right so that its bent-over upper end engages the upper endof the contact arm part 68b and moves it toward the right therebydisengaging it from the contact 69, as shown in Fig. 6, and effectingthe opening of the switch 23. The two parts 68a and 68b of the contactarm 68 are electrically connected together at their lower ends which aresecured to the post 64a.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, spring contact arms, or brushes, l2, l3 and14, are provided in position to respectively frictionally engage thecontact rings 65, 64 and 65. These spring contact arms 12, 13 and 14 aremounted on a support made of electrically insulating material secured inturn to the supporting plate 34. The contact arms l9 and 2!] arelikewise secured on the support 15. As shown in Fig. 3, the stop pawl His mounted on an extension of the contact arm 74.

It will be observed that each of the magnet coils 5 and 6 has twomagnetic operating circuits. The coil 5, for example, is provided with acentral magnetic core 76 (Fig. 7) the ends of which are secured tostrapcore members 1! and 18 (Figs.

accuse 7 and 3:)..made of. magnet-core iron atopposit-e ends cf thec0115. These two core members I1 and 13 are secured to the inneradjacent surfaces of the supporting plates 34 and 43-. The two lowerends of the core members are formed with the two magnet poles I, whilethetwo upper ends are provided with disk-shaped membersiorming the poles'3. It will be :understoodthat the coil 6 and its magnet core membershave substantially the same construction as .just described 1 4 afterthe armature 8 h-as'moved to its attracted position.

' Referring to Fig.8, the. timing apparatus is started by closing asuitable 'normallyopen .push button switch .119 .wherebylfa.suitablesource of electrical supply is connected .tothe conductors 88and 8| connectedto'the binding posts .82 and 83..w'.hich areelectrically connected to the contacts. and 53. Since the contact member4| is in engagement with the contact M, as previously .described, acircuit is.;closed for the coil 8 leading from the ,post 82 through thecontact arm AI, conductor 84, coil 6, and conductor .85 to the bindingpost 83. .Also, a circuit :is closed for the coil I4 leading frombinding post 82 through conductor 86., the switch formed :by contactarms, I9 and .20, conductor, 81, coil I4, conductor 88, switch. andconductor 8-9..to the binding post 83. The coil I4 immediately picks up:its armature .28 whereby the switch 22 is closed to ,by pass thecontacts .I 9 and .20, and the ratchetmembers I3 andiiiaaremoved intoengagement with the ratchet wheel II.

The coil Gpulls the wheel I in a counte rclock wise direction and, indoing so, cam 4?! moves the contact arm M to disengage the contact .44

and engage the contact 50 wherebyth-e coil 6 is deenergized and the coil5 energized :ionoscillation in 'a clockwise direction. .When the pin I5has been moved far enough to engage the contact arm 61 and close theswitch 21, the device Ma is energized, this marking the end of the timeinterval for which the .deviceis adjusted.

The circuit for the device I 4a. leads from the binding post 82 to thebinding post. 90, through the device Ila to the binding post 9.1., andthen through conductor 92, theswitch 21;, the contact arm 68, theswitch23 and the conductor 89 to the binding post 83. Immediately thereafter,

, upon a slight continued movement of the ,pin I5,

the switch .23 .is opened, whereby the device Ma and the coil I4 aredeenergized. Thetiming :device thereupon resets itself in the positionindicated in the drawing ready for the next timing operation. As shown,the push button switch I9 is held closed by a latch 93 which is actuatedby a coil 94, connected across the device Ida,

I wher by the switch .19 sopened when the .de-

knob 26 which, in turn,,is securedto the sleeve 60, as shownin Fig.Adjustment :of .theisdial relative to the sleeve 60 can be effected byloosen- :ing clamping bolts 98 which secure the disk .6I in placewhereby the disk and the dial can be adjustedangularly relative to thesleeve 68. As shown, elongated apertures are provided in the .disk SI.for the bolts 98.

TIE-licreasomior always. starting the time device jbyenergization of thecoil 6 is ,to assure that the device starts with an impulse ofpredetermined duration. vThis will be clear from the .fact that the leafsprings ;I and I,0I securedto the armature .9, and whichengagerespectively, electrically insulated adjustable stops I02 and I03, position the armature 9- .in .afstarting position as shown in Figs-3 and '7when the coils 5 and 6 are deenergized and the pawl I3 released from theratchet wheel II. Therefore, as seen in Fig. when the coil 6 isenergizedthe pawl, which has been released by energization of the coil I 4, dropsinto a notch between the teeth and is moved first toward the lefthandand then upon the energization of the coil 5 back toward the righthandto pickup another tooth.

It should be noted, furthermore, that for ac- .curacyin timing, the stopI03 preferablyis ad- J'ustecl upward against the spring IOI so as toprovide an assisting force for the" armature 9 to overcome the force ofthe spring I8 opposing movement of the ratchet wheel -I;I. v It will benoted that stronger leaf springs ,IM and IE5 are provided respectivelybehind' the springs I80 and .IflI.

While Lhave shown a particular embodiment of my invention; it willbounders'toom'o'f course; that I do not wish to be limited theretofsincemany modifications may be made and I therefore contemplate bytheappended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within thetrue spirit .and scope .of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters ,Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A time device comprising a balance wheel, ,a first armature mountedon said balance wheel, a timer Wheel, a second armature mounted formovement from ,oneposition' to another, :a driving connectionv between.said second armature and said timer wheel ,for turning said timer Wheelstep by step .upon movement of said second armature between saidpositions, electromagnetic means cooperating-with said armatures so asto .move each of said armatures between two positions, switching meansoperated by said balance wheel as it oscillates for controlling the.energization of said electromagnetic means to produce oscillation ofsaid balance wheel and step :by stepfmovement of .said timer wheel, andswitching means actuatedby said timer Wheel when said timer wheel hasbeen turned to a predetermined angular position.

.2. A time device comprising a balancewhcel, .a first armature mountedon said balance wheel, two :electromagnets, means mounting saidelectromanets in .spacedrelation with each other and each with at least one mileadj acerrt said balance wheel, switching mean perated by said balancewheel as it oscillates,foraltcrnate energization ,of said electromagnetsso asto attract said first alt-mature thereby to cause said'balancewheel to osc llate, a ti e wheel, a second armature for saidelectromagnets operated from lone position to. another by the.energi'z'ation of said electromagnets, and a driving connection betweensaid second armature and said time 'w heei for turni-ng -:said timewheel step by step upon said alternate energization of saidelectromagnets.

3. A time device comprising a balance wheel, a first armature mounted onsaid balance wheel, two electromagnets, means mounting saidelectromagnets in spaced relation with each other and each with at leastone pole adjacent said balance wheel, switching means operated by saidbalance wheel as it oscillates for alternate energization of saidelectromagnets so as to attractsaid first armature thereby to cause saidbalance wheel to oscillate, a time wheel, a second armature for saidelectromagnets operated from one 'position to another by theenergization of said electromagnets, a driving connection between said-second armature and said time wheel for turning said time wheel step bystep upon said alternate energization of said electromagnets, andswitching means actuated by said time wheel when said time wheel hasbeen turned to a prede- I termined angular position.

4. A time device comprising a balance wheel, a first armature mounted onsaid balance wheel, two electromagnets, means mounting saidelectromagnets in spaced relation with each other and each with at leastone pole adjacent said balance Wheel, switching means operated by saidbalance wheel as it oscillates for alternate energization of saideleciromagnets so as to attract said first armature thereby to causesaid balance wheel to oscillate, a timer wheel, a second armature forsaid electromagnets operated from one position to another by theenergization of said electromagnets, a driving connecdon between saidsecond armature and said timer wheel for turning said timer wheel stepby step upon said alternate encrgization of said electromagnets, abiased closed-second switching means in circuit with saidelectromagnets, and operating means for said second switching meanscarried by said timer wheel for effecting the opening of said secondswitching means when said timer wheel has been turned to a predeterminedposition thereby to deenergize said electromagnets.

5. A time device comprising a balance wheel, a first armature mounted onsaid balance wheel, two electromagnets each provided with two pairs ofpoles, means mounting said electromagnets in spaced relation with eachother and each with one pair of poles on opposite sides of said balanceWheel, switching means operated by said balance wheel as it oscillatesfor alternate energization of said electromagnets so as to attract saidfirst armature thereby to cause said balance wheel to oscillate, a timerwheel, a second armature cooperating with the other two pairs of polesof said electromagnets so as to be operated from one position to anotherby the energization of said electromagnets, a driving connection betweensaid second armature and said timer wheel for turning said timer wheelstep by step upon saidalternateenergization of said electromagnets,means for disabling said driving connection, a third 'electromagnetprovided with an armature connected to operate said disabling means, asecond switching means for said third electromagnet, and operating meanscarried by said timer wheel for operating said second switching meanswhen'said timer wheel is turned to a predetermined position thereby todisable said driving connection.

6. A time device comprising a balance wheel, a first armature mounted onsaid balance wheel, a pivotally mountedtime member, means biasing -;saidtime member to a predetermined angular strating position, a secondarmature mounted for movement from one position to another, a drivingconnection for turning said time member step by step upon movement ofsaid second armature between said positions, electromagnetic meanscooperating with said armatures so as to move each of said armaturesbetween two positions, a second electromagnetic means provided with athird movable armature biased to an unattracted position, a connectionbetween said third armature and said driving connection for disablingsaid connection when said third armature is moved to its unattractedposition, switching means in circuit with said second electromagneticmeans, means carried by said time member for operating said switchingmeans to energize said second electromagnetic means when said timemember is returned to its starting position in accordance with its bias,and switching means operated by said balance wheel as it oscillates forcontrolling the energization of said first electromagnetic means toproduce oscillation of said balance wheel and step by step movement ofsaid time member.

'7. A time device comprising a balance wheel, a first armature mountedon said balance wheel adjacent its periphery, two electromagnets eachprovided with two pairs of poles, means mounting said electromagnets inspaced relation with each other and each with one pair of poles onopposite sides of said wheel, a second armature cooperating with the twoother pairs of said poles, witching means operated by said balance wheelas it oscillates for alternately energizingsaid electromagnets so as toattract said first armature thereby to cause said wheel to oscillate, aratchet wheel, means biasing said ratchet wheel to a predeterminedstarting position, pawl means operand by said second armature foradvancing said ratchet wheel, a third electromagnet provided with athird movable armature biased to an unattracted position, a connectionbetween said third armature and said pawl means for moving said pawlmeans so as to release said ratchet wheel when said third armature ismoved to its unattracted position, a biased closed time switch incircuit with said third electromagnet, means mounting said switch forangular adjustment about the axis or" said ratchet wheel thereby tointroduce a predetermined time interval, operating means on said ratchetwheel for opening said time switch to deenergize said thirdelectromagnet when said ratchet wheel has been turned to a predeterminedangular position with respect to said switch whereupon said ratchetwheel is released and turns back to said starting position in accordancewith its bias.

FREDERICK J. MULHERN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record the file ofthis'patentr UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,970,412 Bates Aug.14, 1934 2,163,419 Warren June 20, 1939 2,388,686 Habig Nov. 13, 1945FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 504,553 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1939"551,877 GreatBritain Mar. 12, 1943

